Evann Guessand’s second spell at Selhurst Park is unravelling fast. Just weeks into a season-long loan, the Aston Villa forward has fallen out of favour with Pierre Sage, and Crystal Palace could send him back when the January window opens.
Former Villa scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that the relationship broke down over performances and work rate. The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international has not featured in any of the Eagles’ last five matches.
Evann Guessand Frozen Out by Sage
The numbers make grim reading. Guessand has managed just 56 Premier League minutes this term, all as a substitute, without a goal or an assist. Sage also left him out of the Europa League squad.
The Palace boss has publicly challenged several players, including Dwight McNeil and Jaydee Canvot. Brown believes both responded, while Guessand has not. Sage said openly that the forward had fallen short of his standards and that a solution was needed.
It marks a sharp fall from his first stint in south London. Palace signed him on loan in January 2026 with a £28m option to buy. He scored against Wolves before a knee injury slowed him, and the club let the clause lapse. A fresh loan followed in August.
What a Return Would Mean for Unai Emery
For Villa, an early homecoming solves very little. The club paid Nice around £26m for him in 2025, yet he struggled to make his mark in the Premier League during his first spell in claret and blue.
There is still a useful player in there. At 6ft 1in, Evann Guessand can lead the line, drift wide and hold the ball up under pressure. He has completed 13 of his 15 passes this season, although that sample is far too small to judge.
Emery demands relentless intensity from his forwards, and Guessand has yet to show it consistently in England. If he does return in January, Villa get a player with a point to prove rather than a ready-made answer up front. The next three months will decide how much that point is worth.
